Footage shows fire climbing up the 86-storey The Torch, a residential building popular with expats in Dubai
Burning debris could be seen spiralling down to ground as firefighters desperately tried to tackle the flames
Torch Tower is the fifth tallest residential building in the world and stands at more than 330 metres (1,105 ft)
The same skyscraper was devastated by fire in 2015, with the building’s flammable cladding being blamed
Grenfell resident says Dubai fire plan was organised whereas Grenfell residents were let down by authorities
By Rachael Burford and Julian Robinson and Richard Spillett for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 15:06 BST, 4 August 2017 | UPDATED: 17:46 BST, 4 August 2017

Wealthy residents of Dubai’s Torch Tower were texted, phoned and emailed when a blaze broke out this morning, giving them time to pack and evacuate in just 10 minutes – unlike victims of London’s Grenfell disaster who were told to stay put.

Footage shows people in the 1,100ft, 86-storey skyscraper calmly wheeling their suitcases along a corridor and a member of staff directing them to the exit as a fire ravaged the tower’s exterior.

The same building was devastated by fire in 2015 and its flammable cladding, which was similar to that used in Grenfell Tower, was blamed for fuelling the flames.

Unlike the inferno in West London in June, in which at least 80 died, residents of the Torch were able to escape unharmed with only a few people treated for smoke inhalation.

Residents of the Torch were woken at about 1 am by internal fire alarms and building management who sent workers knocking on doors to ensure people got out safely. Witnesses said people walked in an ‘orderly fashion’ down fire escape stairs.

In contrast, Grenfell residents reported not hearing an alarm. Firefighter also told people to remain in their flats, believing that they could contain the fire.